The Edward Show

E943: How to get high-quality backlinks from podcast appearances and why podcast guesting is one of the most effective and overlooked SEO strategies available right now. This is based on real experience. In 2022, I went on 30 podcasts in three months before I had an audience, social media presence, or this podcast. Those appearances helped me build backlinks, branded searches, topical authority, and ultimately led to everything I'm doing now. This episode covers why podcast backlinks work, how they affect SEO directly and indirectly, and exactly how to get booked on podcasts consistently. What you'll learn: - Why podcast guest appearances generate strong backlinks - How podcast show notes and transcripts create SEO value - Why many podcast hosts publish your exact description and links - The difference between dofollow and nofollow podcast links - How podcast backlinks support topical authority - Why branded searches matter and how podcasts increase them - How YouTube podcast links fit into a natural backlink profile - How podcast appearances can lead to knowledge panels - A real example of a site using podcasts to recover and grow after the Google Helpful Content Update - Why podcast guesting often leads to additional organic links - How podcasting builds both SEO signals and real business outcomes How to get on podcasts as a guest: - Using podcast guest matching platforms - https://aipodcastmatcher.com/ - How to set up your profile for better matches - Why simple outreach often outperforms long pitches - The exact outreach approach that worked best for me - How having your own podcast helps you get on other shows - How to trade podcast appearances effectively - How podcast guesting can lead to partnerships and referrals Why podcasts are more than just backlinks: - Brand exposure that leads to searches - Increased click-through rate in search results - Natural engagement signals - Repurposable content for short-form platforms - Long-term compounding value If you're focused on SEO, link building, or growing a brand without relying on tactics that don't hold up long term, this episode walks through a strategy that's practical, repeatable, and still widely underused. ⭐️ https://aipodcastmatcher.com/ ⭐️ How to Get On Podcasts as a Guest in 2026: The Easy Way - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/get-on-podcasts-as-guest-2026/ ⭐️ How I've 10x'd My Podcast Growth Year Over Year - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/10x-podcast-growth/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Backlinks from Podcasts 00:39 Advantages of Podcast Backlinks 02:30 Impact of YouTube Backlinks on SEO 05:15 Real-Life Success Stories 08:32 How to Get on Podcasts 10:30 Leveraging Your Own Podcast 12:23 Conclusion The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding #backlinks #publicrelations

E942: A real case study showing how an $80 press release from Matt Diamante (Hey Tony Agency) ranked #1 on Google for a non-branded keyword and influenced Google's AI Overview. This isn't theory. This actually happened. I walk through exactly how a single press release, distributed through AB Newswire, showed up at the top of Google search results, was cited by a publication, and continued to influence AI search results weeks later - even after the original press release was no longer publicly accessible. This episode explains why press releases still matter, how they influence search engines and large language models, and how they can be used responsibly to build real topical authority. What this covers: - The difference between branded vs non-branded search keywords - Why purchase-intent keywords behave differently in search - How an $80 press release ranked #1 for "best selling SEO book" - How press releases influence Google AI Overviews - Why authority publications still rank syndicated press releases - What happened after the press release was removed - The role of search behavior and user interaction in rankings - ABNewswire vs PR Newswire vs PRLog - When press releases help SEO and when they don't - The difference between legitimate press releases and link spam - How press releases reinforce entity credibility and topical authority - Why company announcements have always mattered in SEO - How press releases influence AI systems like Google AI and ChatGPT - How to use press releases as part of a broader content strategy Key takeaway: Press releases are not about gaming algorithms. When used correctly, they document legitimate business activity, create citation consistency, and help search engines and AI systems understand what your business is actually about. This also explains how press releases fit into my broader SEO framework and why they are just one tactic among many. ⭐️ How to use press releases for SEO and LLMs - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/how-to-use-press-releases-for-seo-and-llms/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Press Releases and SEO 00:46 Case Study: Matt Diamante's Press Release Strategy 03:58 The Power of Press Releases in SEO 06:10 Maximizing Press Release Impact 10:22 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #publicrelations #generativeengineoptimization #growthhacking

E941: Edward is joined by Charles Floate and David Quaid for a deep, technical conversation about what is actually happening in search right now - and why many long-held SEO assumptions no longer hold. We discuss a growing pattern of manual actions that appear to be permanent, rejected reconsideration requests even after large-scale cleanups, and why some businesses may never fully recover organic traffic from Google. From enterprise sites to small publishers, the rules are shifting fast. The conversation moves into AI search, ChatGPT visibility, Reddit's dominance in the SERPs, and how Google's own behavior is pushing SEOs toward tactics that were once considered off-limits. This is not theory. It's based on live examples, experiments, client data, and firsthand experience. Topics covered: - Why manual actions are increasingly permanent and what that means for long-term SEO strategy - What to do when reconsideration requests keep getting rejected - The risk of relying on a single branded domain for all organic traffic
 - Multi-domain strategies, exact match domains, and when they still work
 - Why Reddit now occupies multiple positions on page one
 - How Reddit SEO is being used to offset traffic losses from Google updates
 - The difference between SEO and AI search optimization
 - How ChatGPT, Bing grounding, and source consensus actually work
 - Why most AI visibility still depends on traditional SEO foundations
 - The real role of links in modern SEO and AI surfacing
 - Common SEO tactics that no longer move rankings
 - Underrated techniques that still produce results
 - Internal linking mistakes that kill performance
 - Why "just write good content" is not a strategy
 - How misinformation and tribalism are hurting the SEO industry
 - The growing gap between white hat theory and what actually works
 - Who is winning right now: white hats or black hats - and why This episode is intended for SEOs, founders, CMOs, and operators who want a realistic view of search in 2026, not recycled advice or surface-level commentary. ⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - https://x.com/DavidGQuaid ⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidquaid/ ⭐️ David Quaid's agency - https://primaryposition.com/ ⭐️ Charles Floate on 𝕏 - https://x.com/Charles_SEO ⭐️ Charles Floate on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlesfloate/ ⭐️ Charles Floate on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@CharlesFloate ⭐️ Charles Floate on Facebook - https://facebook.com/thecharlesfloate ⭐️ Charles Floate's PressWhizz - https://presswhizz.com/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:22 Manual Actions and Permanent Bans 01:08 SEO Strategies for Corporate Clients 02:09 The Risks of Relying on a Single Domain 10:48 The Power of Reddit in SEO 18:44 Challenges in the SEO Community 31:02 Experimenting with AI and SEO 46:07 Link Building Strategies and Challenges 46:30 Cool Link Acquisition Stories 50:10 PressWhizz Revolutionizing Link Building 56:38 SEO Techniques: What's Worth It and What's Not 01:13:20 Understanding YMYL and Its Impact 01:25:22 Maximizing SEO with Short Pages 01:26:17 The Power of Internal Linking 01:27:06 Link Building Strategies and Challenges 01:28:04 The Evolution of Link Building Costs 01:29:38 Adapting to AI and SEO Changes 01:32:03 Common Internal Linking Mistakes 01:35:05 Effective URL Slug Changes 01:38:09 White Hat vs. Black Hat SEO 01:48:03 The Role of Private Blog Networks (PBNs) 01:58:52 SEO Consulting and Agency Recommendations 02:05:46 Final Thoughts and Farewell The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #blackhatseo #linkbuilding #generativeengineoptimization

E940: Google penalties are no longer feeling like temporary setbacks. More and more site owners are fixing everything they're told to fix, submitting reconsideration requests, and still getting rejected. In this episode, I break down why Google manual actions appear to be becoming semi-permanent, what multiple SEO practitioners are seeing in real data, and why Google may no longer be asking "did you fix it?" - but instead "should we ever trust you again?" We cover what's changing, what's being reported by people deep in the weeds, and what this means if you're using aggressive SEO tactics, gray-area strategies, or anything that relies on shortcuts. Topics covered: - Why reconsideration requests are being rejected more often - How Google appears to be shifting from behavior-based penalties to perception-based penalties - What "perceived spam" means and why fixing the site may no longer be enough - Why manual actions are starting to look permanent instead of temporary - Similar rejection patterns now showing up in Bing - The risk of tying multiple domains to the same Search Console - Why black hat shortcuts often take longer than doing things correctly - What actually works long term in SEO and marketing - Where press releases, listicles, and self-promotion fall on the rules spectrum - How white hat SEO compounds over time when done consistently This episode is not about fear-mongering. It's about understanding the current landscape so you can make informed decisions about risk, durability, and long-term growth. If you've ever considered pushing the limits, this is worth paying attention to. ⭐️ Charles Floate's post w/ comments - https://x.com/Charles_SEO/status/2016582913043882107 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Google's Permanent Penalties 00:17 Charles Floate's Insights on Reconsideration Requests 02:44 Gagan Ghotra's Perspective and Bing's Similar Issues 04:54 White Hat SEO vs. Black Hat SEO 10:27 The Importance of Long-Term SEO Strategies 12:07 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #googlepenality #googlemanualaction #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E939: If you've just launched a website and have no backlinks, this episode walks through how to build links the right way - without shortcuts, spam, or jumping into strategies that don't work for new sites. This episode is based on a real thread from Charles Floate's r/linkbuilding subreddit, where someone asked how to build high-quality backlinks for a brand-new beauty blog with no existing authority. I break down the best answers, add real-world context, and explain what actually matters when you're starting from scratch. We cover why most people make link building harder than it needs to be, what to focus on first, and how to build trust before worrying about scale. What you'll learn: - Why foundational backlinks matter for new websites - Which links you should build before guest posting - How social profiles and directories help establish trust - When manual outreach actually makes sense - How community participation leads to natural link opportunities - Why referral traffic matters more than domain metrics - How partnerships and link exchanges can work when done properly - Why press releases are still useful for brand-new sites - How press releases influence search results and brand visibility - Expert quote platforms that work well for early link building - Why quality beats volume every time for new domains - How podcast guesting can be used for link building - Why consistency matters more than doing everything at once This is especially useful if: - You've launched a new site with no backlinks - You're unsure which link-building tactics to start with - You want to avoid wasting time on low-value links - You're building a real brand, not a disposable site ⭐️ How can I effectively build backlinks for a brand-new website with no existing authority? - https://www.reddit.com/r/linkbuilding/comments/1mew9qs/how_can_i_effectively_build_backlinks_for_a/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Backlink Building 01:02 Exploring Foundational Backlinks 01:44 Engaging with Online Communities 03:27 Leveraging Press Releases 04:59 Expert Advice from Charles Floate 06:44 Social Media and Local Directories 07:26 AI Tools and Podcasting for Backlinks 07:55 Final Tips The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #linkbuilding #backlinks #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E938: I break down new data showing that YouTube has officially overtaken Reddit as the most cited social platform in AI search, including large language models like ChatGPT. We'll cover what this shift means for SEO, brand visibility, and how to actually get your content cited by AI using YouTube. What changed in AI search - YouTube is now cited more frequently than Reddit in AI-generated answers - Transcripts and descriptions make YouTube content easy for LLMs to read - AI systems increasingly rely on YouTube for explanations, reviews, and comparisons Why YouTube now beats Reddit for AI visibility - Videos include readable transcripts and metadata - Titles and descriptions can target exact search queries - YouTube content is easier for AI to summarize and compare - Ranking videos also builds long-term brand authority How AI systems find and cite YouTube videos - AI prompts are broken into multiple search queries - Videos need to match at least one of those queries - Titles, descriptions, and filenames influence discovery - Clear answers increase the chance of citation How to optimize YouTube videos for AI search - Target one primary keyword per video - Put the keyword in the video title - Put the keyword at the beginning of the description - Use the keyword in the video filename - Answer the question directly and concisely How to structure descriptions so AI can understand them - Put the full answer in the description - Use headings to organize information - Use consistent sections for comparisons - This makes it easier for AI to generate tables Using YouTube alongside traditional SEO - Create a video for each SEO landing page - Target the same keyword in the page and the video - Publish both while the topic is top of mind - Videos often rank faster than pages Branded vs non-branded keywords - Branded keywords are easier to rank for - Brand name plus review keywords convert well - Brand name plus rating keywords convert well - Non-branded keywords are still viable with video Building topical authority on YouTube - Cover related topics consistently - Watch time and engagement matter - Comments help reinforce relevance - Channels behave similarly to websites in search Practical advice for getting started - Start recording with what you have - You do not need to post daily - Weekly or monthly is enough to start - Editing does not need to be complex - Shorts can be reused across platforms Why this matters - YouTube is the most clicked site in Google search - YouTube is now a top citation source for AI - You build brand equity while ranking - You own the asset you are growing ⭐️ My Exact Social Media Posting Strategy - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/social-media-posting-strategy/ ⭐️ EXCLUSIVE: YouTube Overtakes Reddit as Go-To Citation Source on AI Search - https://www.adweek.com/media/youtube-reddit-ai-search-engine-citations/ ⭐️ State of Search Q4 2025: Behaviors, Trends, and Clicks Across the US & Europe - https://datos.live/report/state-of-search-q4-2025/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 YouTube Overtakes Reddit in AI Citations 00:19 The Rise of YouTube as a Citation Source 01:31 Optimizing Videos for AI and SEO 04:56 Practical Tips for Creating Effective Videos 06:18 Building and Growing Your YouTube Channel 08:22 Leveraging AI and Video for SEO Success 10:35 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing

E937: Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e13R_Z1pFwk A deep, practical look at how Claude Cowork is changing the way SEO work is actually executed. This is not a theoretical discussion about AI. The focus is on real workflows: how Claude Cowork performs hands-on SEO tasks that normally require hours of manual effort, and how agencies can realistically use it today. The conversation walks through live examples of Claude Cowork performing local SEO audits, Google Business Profile analysis, competitor research, and on-page SEO evaluations by directly interacting with the browser and SEO tools. Sarvesh Shrivastava joins the show! He shares how he's actively testing Claude Cowork inside agency-style workflows and what this means for SEO teams. What we cover: - What Claude Cowork is and how it differs from tools like ChatGPT and Gemini - How Claude Cowork operates directly on your computer instead of requiring manual data uploads - A walkthrough of a Google Business Profile competitor analysis - How Claude Cowork audits Google Maps listings and identifies ranking patterns - How competitor data is collected and analyzed across local search results - How reviews are analyzed for volume, ratings, and keyword usage - How business hours and availability signals affect local rankings - How profile completeness, photos, videos, and posts are evaluated - How pattern recognition can surface niche-specific local ranking factors - How automated SEO audit reports can be generated and reviewed - How on-page SEO audits are performed automatically - How title tags and heading structure issues are identified - How schema and local business markup gaps are detected - How page speed and image optimization issues are flagged - How agencies can reduce time spent on audits, research, and reporting - Where automation works well and where human review is still required - Credit limits, permission prompts, and current limitations of the tool - How Claude Cowork fits into real agency workflows today Who this is for: - SEO professionals and consultants - Agency owners and operators - Local SEO specialists - Business owners managing their own SEO - Anyone interested in practical AI-driven automation for SEO work Sarvesh also explains how he plans to roll this into agency processes, which tasks provide the biggest time savings, and which areas still benefit from hands-on SEO judgment. ⭐️ Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/e13R_Z1pFwk ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava's Claude Cowork prompts - https://docs.google.com/document/d/13x8O8P-SWl-Wm3c2JpHtH4iWk3I5L8qo0SjP862zNV8/edit?tab=t.0 ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on 𝕏 - https://x.com/bloggersarvesh ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarvesh-shrivastava-blogger/ ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/seowithsarvesh/ ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@bloggersarvesh ⭐️ Sarvesh Shrivastava's agency, Alventra Marketing - https://alventramarketing.com/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Claude and SEO 01:03 Exploring Claude Cowork's Capabilities 03:05 Live Demonstration of Claude Cowork 05:20 In-Depth Analysis and Insights 19:49 On-Page SEO Audit with Claude 24:51 Detailed Prompt for On-Page SEO 24:57 Schema Audit and SEO Tools 25:43 Automating SEO Tasks with Claude Cowork 28:13 Permissions and Limitations of Claude Cowork 30:14 Live Demonstration of Claude Cowork 32:16 Automating Content Creation and Backlink Analysis 34:50 Challenges and Future of Claude Cowork 41:03 Going Viral with Claude Cowork 44:14 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #localseo #localmarketing #googlebusinessprofileoptimization #searchengineoptimization

E936: Local SEO lives or dies by local authority - and one of the biggest drivers of that authority is local backlinks. I break down exactly how to build high-quality local backlinks that help search engines see your business as an authority in a specific city or region. This applies whether you're starting a local business, competing in a crowded market, or expanding into new locations. I cover practical strategies that send real referral traffic, strengthen local topical authority, and support long-term ranking improvements - not theory. What you'll learn: - Why local backlinks matter for local SEO and topical authority - How partnerships with local businesses create real traffic and stronger links - How to find and evaluate local sponsorship opportunities (and when they're worth it) - When to accept nofollow links or brand mentions - and when not to - How to use ChatGPT agent mode to research local sponsorships and partners - How to properly vet local partners to protect your brand and reputation - Core local citations you need for local SEO - How to track citations and backlinks correctly (and why tracking matters) - How citation language and context impact local topical authority - How to vary location and service language without hurting consistency - Why anchor text matters less than contextual language for local SEO - How to structure location hub pages to support link building - How to build links to pillar pages to strengthen weaker service pages This is especially useful if: - You're launching a local business and need to build authority from scratch - You're competing in a high-competition city - You're expanding SEO into new locations - You want a clear system for local link building 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Building Local Backlinks 00:59 Partnerships for Local Backlinks 01:16 Sponsorship Opportunities 01:59 Using ChatGPT for Sponsorships 04:03 Local Citations and Directories 04:30 Tracking and Managing Citations 05:21 Language and Context in Citations 07:36 Hub Pages for Local SEO 08:54 Conclusion and Wrap Up The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #localseo #localmarketing #searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding

E935: I break down a recently funded AI startup that is scaling SEO with unchecked, fully AI-generated financial content - and why this strategy has already failed before. I've seen this exact playbook play out with AInvest: rapid traffic growth driven by AI content, press, and links… followed by a sharp collapse after Google's spam and quality updates. Now we're watching the same model surface again, almost step for step. This episode is not about hating on AI. It's about understanding where AI actually helps - and where it quietly puts your entire domain at risk. What's covered: - How a low-authority domain was able to spike to tens of thousands of clicks per month - Why press, link velocity, and brand mentions can temporarily mask serious SEO issues - The dangers of scaling AI-generated financial content without human fact-checking - How Google evaluates unchecked AI content, especially in YMYL niches - Why sites often get away with this approach for a few months before getting hit - The long-term SEO damage most founders and marketers don't see coming - What this means for your tools, brand terms, and real linkable assets - How AI can be used responsibly in SEO without putting your site at risk Also, what this company is doing well, including: - Press and link acquisition - Brand trust signals and accessibility - Interactive AI tools and on-page engagement features If you're a founder, marketer, or SEO considering AI to scale content, this episode is a clear warning - and a roadmap for how to avoid repeating the same mistake. 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Frustrations 00:13 The Rise and Fall of AInvest 01:03 Introducing The New AInvest - Here We Go Again 02:52 SEO Strategies and Risks 04:22 AI Content and Google's Guidelines 07:56 Practical AI Applications 11:23 Final Thoughts and Warnings 12:25 Conclusion and Episode Wrap-Up The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #programmaticseo #scaledcontentabuse #blackhatseo

E934: Google's quiet removal of the num=100 parameter sent shockwaves through the SEO tooling ecosystem. Many called it an apocalypse. Others barely noticed. I sit down with Jonathan Berthold, VP of Revenue at Moz, to unpack what actually happened, why Google made the change, and how it connects to a much bigger shift happening across search, AI, and zero-click results. We cover how SEO is evolving under pressure from AI Overviews, LLMs, and generative search - and why most of the panic is misplaced. Topics covered: - What the num=100 parameter was and why Google removed it - Whether this change was aimed at SEOs, tool providers, or OpenAI - How rank tracking, impressions, and average position were distorted before the change - Why keyword positions beyond page one rarely matter for real business outcomes - The rise of zero-click search and what it actually means for traffic - How AI Overviews and LLMs are reshaping informational search - Why commercial and transactional queries are far less impacted - The difference between SEO as a strategy vs SEO as a channel - Why brand is becoming the strongest long-term advantage in search - How Moz has adapted its product and analytics approach - What SEO agencies need to change when rankings stop being the primary KPI - Whether AI tools threaten SEO careers - or force better ones - Google vs OpenAI vs other LLMs and what's really at stake - Why "GEO" mostly looks like good SEO done correctly Key takeaways: - The num=100 removal didn't break SEO - it exposed bad measurement habits - Traffic quality matters more than traffic volume - Informational content still matters, even when clicks decline - Brand visibility now extends beyond Google into AI systems - SEO success is increasingly tied to business outcomes, not rankings This conversation goes deep into how search is changing without resorting to hype or fear. If you work in SEO, marketing, analytics, or product - and want a grounded view of where things are heading - this episode is for you. ⭐️ Jonathan Berthold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanberthold/ ⭐️ Jonathan Berthold on 𝕏: https://x.com/j_bertho ⭐️ Moz (my affiliate link): https://edwardsturm.com/refer/moz/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 01:09 SEO Industry Insights 04:19 Impact of LLMs on SEO 10:47 Brand Importance in SEO 11:14 Discussion on Topical Authority 16:06 The Num Equals 100 Parameter Change 29:14 Google's Strategy Against OpenAI 32:13 The Rise of Claude Code and LLMs 33:06 Comparing ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude 35:27 OpenAI's New Ad Model 36:15 Challenges in Scaling OpenAI's Ad System 41:38 SEO and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) 54:07 The Future of AI in the Job Market 01:00:30 Will AI Mode Become the Default? 01:02:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #generativeengineoptimization #performancemarketing #digitalmarketing

E933: How URL structure directly impacts SEO performance, topical authority, and whether Google views your site as legitimate or spammy. I walk through two common URL structure approaches that many sites use when targeting similar keywords - and explain why one of them often triggers spam signals, ranking cannibalization, and doorway page issues, even when the content itself is solid. If you're building feature pages, use-case pages, programmatic SEO, or scaling content across keyword variations, this episode will help you avoid structural mistakes that quietly limit rankings. What you'll learn: - Why certain URL patterns raise red flags for Google - How search engines interpret keyword-heavy slugs vs hierarchical structures - The difference between doorway page patterns and real topical depth - How nested subfolders help establish clearer parent-child topic relationships - Why documentation-style URL structures tend to perform better long term - How poor URL structure can cause ranking cannibalization - How to structure feature and use-case pages without looking manipulative - How internal linking should work when using nested URL hierarchies - Why this approach makes link building and topical authority easier Real-world examples discussed: - How a top mattress affiliate structures pages to rank for thousands of keywords - How legal SEO sites organize practice-area pages by accident type - Why these structures scale without triggering spam classifications Who this episode is for: - Founders and marketers building SEO-driven landing pages - SEOs working on programmatic or scaled content - Anyone restructuring a site for better topical authority - People confused about why similar pages keep competing with each other This episode focuses entirely on information architecture, not content tricks or shortcuts. The goal is to help Google understand what your site is actually about - and reward it accordingly. ⭐️ Google's update on Doorway pages - https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2015/03/an-update-on-doorway-pages 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to URL Structures and SEO Impact 00:09 Fictional Email Client and URL Structure Examples 00:51 Comparing Two URL Structures 01:59 Real-World Examples and SEO Insights 02:59 Google's Perspective on URL Structures 04:39 Advantages of Hierarchical URL Structures 07:00 Case Studies: NapLab and Legal SEO 09:06 Best Practices for Internal Linking 10:40 Wrapping URL Structures The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #informationarchitecture #topicalauthority #digitalmarketing

E932: I break down the most interesting marketing opportunities I'm seeing right now and why they matter if you care about getting in early. We start with the Digg relaunch and why, despite recent crackdowns on obvious SEO spam, it's still one of the most compelling platforms to pay attention to. I explain what's changed since the first Digg episode, which niches are being targeted, which ones are not, and how non-SEO brands can still use Digg effectively for long-term marketing and visibility. Next, we cover the announcement of ads coming to ChatGPT. I walk through OpenAI's stated ad principles, what this likely means for AI SEO, and why ads probably won't influence model responses. I also talk about the opportunity window that tends to open when a major platform launches ads and why early experimentation often matters more than perfect execution. Finally, I share real results from the recent press kit episode and explain why every serious marketing or SEO strategy should include one. We look at how press kits affect backlinks, topical authority, and brand searches, and why journalists rely on them more than most people realize. Topics covered: - What has changed since Digg's relaunch and why it still matters - How Digg is handling SEO spam and which niches are being affected - Why Digg could follow a similar SEO trajectory to Reddit - How to use Digg for top-of-funnel content instead of direct promotion - The role of AI moderation and how it may shape future promotion - What OpenAI has announced about ads in ChatGPT - Why ChatGPT ads likely won't impact AI SEO rankings - The size of the opportunity when new ad platforms launch - Past examples of early ad platform inefficiencies - Why press kits make it easier for journalists to link to you correctly - How press kits can influence brand searches and site links ⭐️ E927 - Why Every SEO Strategy Needs a Press Kit (Most People Miss This) - https://youtu.be/hlZwZpGg76I ⭐️ E928 - Digg Just Relaunched - And It's the Wildest Parasite SEO Opportunity of the Decade - https://youtu.be/xf9QYuAKFHo 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Crazy Alpha in Marketing 00:40 Digg's Evolution and Opportunities 07:05 ChatGPT Ads: A New Frontier 12:40 The SERP Results of Press Kits in SEO 13:54 Conclusion and Episode Wrap-Up The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #chatgptads #arbitrage #digitalmarketing

E931: Small and mid-sized law firms regularly can outrank national legal brands in Google, even with smaller teams and far lower marketing budgets. This breaks down how that actually happens. We go deep into what drives legal search rankings, what converts traffic into signed cases, and why many common law firm SEO strategies fail. This is a practical, experience-based discussion focused on results, not surface-level SEO tactics. Nick Cohen, a lawyer and the founder of Matador Solutions, joins the show to explain how legal SEO works in real markets. Nick has spent years helping law firms compete in some of the most competitive legal search landscapes in the United States, and he shares exactly what he's seeing work today across content, Google Maps, reviews, links, AI, and compliance. Topics covered: - Why small law firms can outrank large national legal brands - How Google's algorithm became increasingly local for legal searches - What makes legal SEO fundamentally different from other local SEO niches - Why most law firm blog content generates traffic but no signed cases - How practice area pages should be built to rank and convert - Pillar pages, supporting content, and topical authority for law firms - How informational content supports high-intent legal keywords - What actually builds trust on law firm websites - Conversion factors that matter in legal marketing (and what doesn't) - The role of copy, credibility, and clarity in legal conversions - Why video testimonials are critical for law firm SEO - How YouTube testimonials can rank for legal keywords - Link building strategies that work in competitive legal markets - Why local and relevant links often outperform high-DA links - Earned media vs paid links for law firms - Google Business Profile optimization in competitive cities - The real impact of reviews on map pack rankings - When keyword placement in Google Business Profiles works - Common SEO mistakes agencies make when working with law firms - SEO metrics law firms obsess over that don't correlate with cases - How to measure SEO success when one case can be worth millions - How AI is being used in legal SEO today - The risks of AI-generated content in legal marketing - QA processes and verification systems for legal content - Title tags, SERP optimization, and improving click-through rate - Exact match domains, link velocity, and brand signals - The single most important SEO lever for law firms with limited resources Who this episode is for: - Law firm owners and managing partners - SEO agencies working with legal clients - Marketers entering the legal SEO space - Anyone focused on turning rankings into real business ⭐️ Matador Solutions - https://www.matadorsolutions.net/ ⭐️ Nick Cohen on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickecohen/ ⭐️ Get in touch with Nick - nick@matadorsolutions.net 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:52 Founding of Matador Solutions and Its Evolution 02:42 SEO Strategies for Law Firms 05:13 Matador's Recent SEO Success 12:20 Competing with Big Legal Brands 17:21 Content Strategy for Law Firms 25:43 Building Trust and Authority 30:02 Link Building and Citations 39:46 Facebook Posts for SEO 40:29 Importance of 24/7 Phone Answering for Lawyers 42:38 AI in Legal SEO: Benefits and Risks 44:39 Content Creation and AI Integration 53:58 Common SEO Mistakes and Best Practices 56:40 Optimizing Google Business Profiles for Lawyers 01:00:54 Measuring SEO Success in the Legal Industry 01:02:55 Personal Connection to Legal SEO 01:12:46 Lightning Round: Quick SEO Tips 01:14:55 Conclusion and Contact Information The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #legalseo #legalsearchengineoptimization #lawseo #localseo

E930: Expanding local SEO into new cities is harder than most businesses expect, and doing it the wrong way can get you suspended or quietly ignored by Google altogether. Darren Shaw joins the show to explain what actually works when you want to rank in cities where you are not physically located. Darren is the founder of Whitespark and one of the most experienced voices in local SEO, and this is a tactical conversation based on what he has seen work in the real world. We break down the limits of service area businesses, the reality of Google's local algorithm, and why so many expansion strategies fail even when the business is legitimate. Topics covered: - Why service areas in Google Business Profiles do not impact rankings - When it is impossible to rank in another city without opening a real location - How far local SEO can realistically reach from a single address - The difference between ranking in the local pack vs organic results - How service area pages actually help, and where they fall short - How to structure location pages and city-based service pages correctly - Pillar pages and internal linking for multi-city SEO - Building topical authority in a new city from scratch - The role of localized links, citations, and sponsorships - How reviews from customers in other cities can help expansion - What Google actually associates your business with geographically - Why doorway pages fail and how to avoid them - Editing Google Business Profiles safely without triggering re-verification - Which profile fields are risky to touch and which ones are not - Keyword stuffing in business names and the legal risks most SEOs ignore - Why many agencies have stopped spam fighting competitor listings - Schema, geotagging photos, and where the evidence actually stands - How local SEO signals differ from organic and AI-driven search results Darren also explains: - How to open a legitimate second location without overspending - What Google looks for in subleases and shared office spaces - Why authority in your original city does not automatically transfer - How to think about geographic expansion from Google's perspective If you serve multiple cities, plan to expand into new markets, or are trying to understand why your local SEO strategy has stalled, this episode will help you avoid common mistakes and wasted effort. ⭐️ Darren Shaw's first time on this podcast - https://youtu.be/1awWMG1e5kY?si=6ORaQf2GkMKEhBmp ⭐️ Whitespark's local SEO software and services: https://whitespark.ca/ ⭐️ The Whitespark Local Update Podcast: https://whitespark.ca/the-whitespark-local-update-podcast/  ⭐️ Darren's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/whitesparkca  ⭐️ Darren's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darrenshawseo/ ⭐️ Darren's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrenshawwhitespark/ ⭐️ Darren's Threads: https://www.threads.com/@darrenshawseo ⭐️ Darren's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darrenshawseo/ ⭐️ Darren's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@darrenshawseo 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction and Guest Background 00:25 Expanding Local Service Area Pages 00:51 Ranking in Distant Locations 03:08 Creating Effective Service Area Pages 06:16 Affordable Office Locations for SEO 09:26 Building Topical Authority and Link Building 16:57 Importance of Reviews and Local Search Myths 18:48 Optimizing Local Citations and Reviews 19:13 Updating Your Google Business Profile 21:08 The Impact of Keywords in Business Names 22:47 Legal Implications of Keyword Stuffing 26:50 Debating the Value of Schema Markup 30:11 Whitespark's Local Ranking Grid Software 32:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #localseo #searchengineoptimization #googlebusinessprofileoptimization #localmarketing

E929: David Quaid joins the show to break down three link building techniques that still work today across local businesses, SaaS companies, and any other industry. This is a practical conversation about how Google treats links, why many SEO "rules" don't exist, and how to build links without buying them or obsessing over domain authority. If you work in SEO, run an agency, own a local business, or manage SaaS growth, this episode gives you frameworks you can apply immediately. What you'll learn: - Why reciprocal links are not inherently bad and when they make sense - How Google evaluates links at the page level, not the domain level - Why the sentence and anchor text around a link matters more than site-wide relevance - How to build real partnerships that create links naturally - The difference between authority and relevance and how they work together - Why a linking page must rank for the link to pass value - How many clicks a page actually needs to start passing authority - How SaaS companies can use adjacent products and integrations to earn links - How directories, profiles, and verified listings can help early-stage sites - When indexing services make sense and when they don't - How Reddit, social platforms, and link chains can help with discovery and crawling - Why buying links often leads to diminishing returns - How SEO fundamentals haven't really changed, despite constant noise - Why creativity still matters more than tactics in link building Topics covered: - Local SEO link building - SaaS partnerships and integrations - Reciprocal links at scale - Page-level authority vs domain authority - Topical authority and anchor text - Link decay and dampening effects - Parasite SEO and indexing - Reddit, Digg, and community-driven links - SEO compounding effects - Common myths that hold SEOs back If you're tired of vague advice and want to understand why things work, this episode is for you. ⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - https://x.com/DavidGQuaid ⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidquaid/ ⭐️ David Quaid's agency - https://primaryposition.com/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Link Building Techniques 00:49 Debunking Link Building Myths 01:29 Local Link Building Strategies 02:41 Relevance and Authority in Link Building 03:30 Creative Link Building Approaches 08:16 Case Studies and Success Stories 16:49 Reciprocal Links and Partnerships 24:07 Verified Profiles and ORM 28:23 The Value of Manual Backlink Indexing 29:25 Using Reddit for SEO Link Building 30:22 Creating Link Chains and Indexing Strategies 32:34 Parasitic SEO and Domain Authority 34:30 Owning and Managing Subreddits for SEO 36:43 The Basics and Evolution of SEO 38:30 Compounding Effects in SEO 40:36 Listener Feedback and Success Stories 43:23 AI and Automation in SEO 45:46 Concluding Remarks and Episode Wrap-Up The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #linkbuilding #backlinks #searchengineoptimization #seo

E928: Digg is back, and almost nobody is paying attention. I break down why Digg's relaunch quietly created one of the most powerful parasite SEO opportunities we've seen in years, and why the window will not stay open for long. Digg has massive historical trust, a clean link profile, and crawlable, indexable URLs. Google doesn't care that Digg is "new again." Google cares that Digg is trusted. That combination is rare, and when it appears, it gets saturated fast. I explain exactly what I tested, what worked immediately, what already got patched, and why going too aggressive can get your accounts or domains wiped. This is not theory. This is real-time SEO while the window is still open. What you'll learn: - Why Digg's domain authority makes it fundamentally different from most platforms - How parasite SEO actually works when done correctly - Why Reddit-style SEO still works, and why Digg is even more permissive right now - How community URLs and usernames function as SEO real estate - Why indexing speed matters more than content quality in the early days - How internal linking compounds authority on high-trust domains - What happened when people pushed too hard and got removed - How to avoid getting your brand or domain blocked - Why these opportunities appear rarely and disappear quickly Important warning: This episode discusses parasite SEO tactics for educational purposes. Platforms tighten moderation fast, and aggressive or careless execution can lead to account loss, content removal, or domain-level blocks. Proceed carefully and at your own risk. ⭐️ Jacky Chou's post - https://x.com/indexsy/status/2012243468408795480 🪏 My article about Digg SEO and marketing - https://edwardsturm.com/articles/craziest-marketing-opportunities-of-the-last-decade/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Late Night SEO Shenanigans 00:44 The Rise of Digg: A New SEO Opportunity 02:09 Digg Parasite SEO Strategy 05:13 Cautionary Tales and Best Practices 10:30 Final Thoughts The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #parasiteseo #searchengineoptimization #seo #digitalmarketing

E927: Why a press kit is one of the most overlooked parts of long-term SEO and brand marketing - and how it directly impacts rankings, links, conversions, and how journalists and AI systems describe your business. Most brands work hard to earn press, but lose control of the opportunity once a journalist starts researching them. Tight deadlines, shallow research, and AI-generated summaries often lead to inaccurate or weak brand descriptions. A well-built press kit fixes that. This episode breaks down exactly how press kits influence search engines, journalists, and LLMs, and how to use them to turn earned media into lasting SEO value. What you'll learn: - Why journalists frequently misrepresent brands (even when they link to you) - How Google associates brands with topics even without links - Why unlinked brand mentions still matter for rankings - How press kits influence entity associations and topical authority - How journalists and LLMs use press kits verbatim - Why controlling surrounding language is just as important as backlinks - How press kits help drive link equity to your most valuable pages - The difference between Google Drive press kits and on-site press kit pages - How to structure a press kit so it actually gets used What a high-performing press kit should include: - A clear, accurate brand description written for journalists - High-converting language aligned with your SEO targets - Links to priority pages you want authority flowing to - High-quality brand images with proper alt text - Open Graph images for link sharing - SEO metadata so journalists can identify it instantly in search - Contact information that makes follow-ups easy Why this matters: - Earned media is inevitable if your marketing works - Most brands waste that coverage by reacting too late - Press kits let you control the language, links, and positioning - This is a long-term SEO asset, not a one-time tactic Press kits are public relations fundamentals, but they are deeply connected to search engine optimization and how brands are represented across Google and AI systems. ⭐️ Rand Fishking discussing how co-occurrence (the words surrounding mentions of your brand) influences Google rankings - https://moz.com/blog/prediction-anchor-text-is-dying-and-will-be-replaced-by-cocitation-whiteboard-friday 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction: The Overlooked SEO Strategy 00:18 The Journalist's Dilemma: Inaccurate Brand Descriptions 02:08 The Power of Brand Mentions: Insights from Rand Fishkin 03:33 Scenario Two: The Importance of a Press Kit 04:38 Creating an Effective Press Kit 08:09 Real-World Application: My Press Kit Experience 10:14 Conclusion: Maximizing SEO with Press Kits The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #publicrelations #linkbuilding #seo

E926: Jake Hundley and David Quaid join the show to break down one of the most misunderstood topics in SEO: schema markup. For years, marketers, agencies, and "AI SEO" tools have claimed that schema is required to rank in Google and now in large language models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude. We take those claims apart and explains, in practical terms, why most websites don't benefit from schema at all - and in some cases, can actually create risk by using it. This is a grounded, technical discussion about how search engines and LLMs actually work, what data they really use, and why most schema advice is built on correlation, not causation. What this covers - Whether schema markup is required to rank in Google - Whether schema helps you appear in ChatGPT, Perplexity, or other LLMs - How large language models actually retrieve web content - Why schema does not improve relevance, trust, or understanding for most sites - Why correlation studies from tools like Semrush are misleading - The difference between correlation and causation in SEO data - Why rich snippets do not prove schema improves rankings - What Google's schema guidelines actually say about reviews and FAQs - How misuse of review and FAQ schema can create risk - Why Google removed most FAQ and review rich results - When schema might make sense (flights, hotels, structured feeds) - Why SaaS sites, blogs, and local businesses don't need schema to rank - How search engines already extract structured data from normal HTML - Why tables, headings, and clean page structure matter more than schema - How LLM prompts differ from search queries - What "query fan-out" means for AI visibility - How to test whether schema affects rankings or AI mentions - Why SEO fundamentals still decide what ranks Key ideas from the episode - Search engines rank pages first, then use schema only if they need to display a feature - You cannot use schema to make an irrelevant page rank - LLMs do not crawl and index the web the way Google does - LLMs usually receive raw HTML, not processed schema - Schema is easy to fake and therefore cannot be a trust signal - Most pages that rank with schema would rank without it - Most schema usage exists because developers or plugins add it automatically - Google already ignores most schema for rich results - Real ranking signals still come from relevance, authority, and structure Who this episode is for - SEO practitioners who want data-driven clarity - Business owners tired of technical SEO upsells - Agencies selling or buying "AI optimization" - Anyone being told they need schema to rank ⭐️ David Quaid on 𝕏 - https://x.com/DavidGQuaid ⭐️ David Quaid on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidquaid/ ⭐️ David Quaid's agency - https://primaryposition.com/ ⭐️ Jake's Agency Discord - https://discord.gg/uvHRRRFVRD ⭐️ Jake's Podcast - The Agency Growth Podcast: https://everbrospodcast.com/ ⭐️ r/agency Subreddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/agency/ ⭐️ Jake Hundley on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/jake.hundley.1 ⭐️ Jake Hundley on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-hundley/ ⭐️ Jake Hundley's agency - https://evergrowmarketing.com/ 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Schema and SEO Experts 00:30 Debunking the Myth: Schema and LLMs 01:31 Correlation vs. Causation in Schema Usage 04:08 Practical Insights and Case Studies 11:00 The Role of Schema in Local SEO 16:29 Review and FAQ Schema Guidelines 21:35 Schema's Impact on Rankings and Methodology 23:47 Challenges and Realities in SEO 25:58 Discussing the Semrush Article on Technical SEO and AI Search 26:53 Debating the Validity of Schema in SEO 28:21 Analyzing the Impact of Schema on Search Rankings 30:00 Viewer Comments and Schema Debate 31:27 SEO Fundamentals and Long-Term Strategies 35:14 The Role of Schema in Modern SEO 39:03 Effective SEO Practices and Misconceptions 42:41 Concluding Thoughts and Future Tests The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #topicalauthority #seo #digitalmarketing

E925: Most people think topical authority comes from publishing endless blog posts. That idea is wrong - and it's why so many SEO strategies fail. I break down what topical authority really is, how Google actually decides who is an expert, and why links, brand mentions, and bottom-of-funnel pages matter far more than informational content. This episode is built around a real Reddit thread from an SEO agency trying to move beyond "do SEO and hope it works" into a real, strategic model for winning in search. We go deep into how topical authority is created, how it works for SaaS, ecommerce, and service businesses, and why most people misunderstand it. What you'll learn: - Why publishing lots of blog posts is not required to build topical authority - How off-site signals like links, brand mentions, and PR shape how Google sees your expertise - How bottom-of-funnel landing pages quietly build more authority than blogs ever do - Why Google cares about the language people use when they mention your brand - How unlinked brand mentions influence topical relevance - What Forbes did to become able to rank for almost anything - How HouseFresh recovered from Google's Helpful Content Update and 4x'd their traffic - Why good marketing builds SEO, even when you stop thinking about SEO - How to use linkable assets, tools, and research to earn authority naturally - How agencies should think about topical authority when working with multi-category clients - Why generalist brands can still build topical authority - just across multiple topics - How to systematize topical authority inside a real SEO playbook What topical authority actually is: Topical authority is not something you "do" by writing articles. It's the result of: - Ranking for searches in a topic - Getting clicks for those searches - Being mentioned by other websites in the language of that topic - Earning links where surrounding text reinforces what you're known for Google doesn't need a blog to understand what you do. It needs signals from the rest of the web confirming what you're associated with. How real businesses build it… I explain why the strongest topical authority comes from: - Bottom-of-funnel SEO pages that target buyers, not readers - Link building that uses the same language your customers search with - PR, podcasts, and brand mentions that describe you in your niche - Tools, research, and resources people actually want to share When people talk about you using the words that match your business, Google connects your brand to those topics. That's authority. If you run an SEO agency… This episode also covers: - Why "publish more blog posts" is not a strategy - How to build topical authority for clients without content factories - How to decide which topics are worth building authority in - How to align SEO work with actual revenue Topical authority should always point toward the searches that make money. ⭐️ The Reddit thread: Understanding topical authority - https://www.reddit.com/r/SEO/comments/1qac2us/understanding_topical_authority/ ⭐️ E832 - From 1,000 to 200,000 Clicks: The INSANE SEO Comeback of HouseFresh.com - https://youtu.be/QewNJ2AgQxM ⭐️ E921 - How Teal Gets 1 Million Google Clicks a Month with AI-Powered SEO - https://youtu.be/8wImHWoQ7C4 ⭐️ E924 - Lars Lofgren & Jacky Chou on the pod - Google Is Easier to Game Than Ever And Black-Hat SEOs Are Winning - https://youtu.be/s8DpBug5w88 ⭐️ E895 - How to Do Blog SEO the Right Way (Using ChatGPT Without Ruining Your Brand) - https://youtu.be/tXgfUcBr8fU 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 Introduction to Topical Authority 00:38 Reddit Question on SEO Strategies 01:33 Building Topical Authority Without Blogs 03:51 Top Comments and Insights 05:09 Effective Link Building Techniques 09:58 Case Studies and Real-World Examples 15:47 Last Thoughts + Ideas and Conclusion The Edward Show. Your daily generative engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #searchengineoptimization #topicalauthority #seo #linkbuilding

E924: I sit down with Lars Lofgren and Jacky Chou to talk about what's really happening inside search right now - not the PR version, not the Google blog version, but what people running sites, ranking pages, and making money are actually seeing. We dig into why white-hat, content-driven SEO feels like it's collapsing for a lot of people, while black-hat operators, parasite SEO, and forum spam are quietly having one of their best years ever. This isn't a theoretical conversation. Lars and Jacky work directly inside these systems. They see what ranks, what breaks, and what keeps working after updates. If you run a website, a SaaS, a content business, or an affiliate site, this episode explains why things could feel harder than they used to - and why some people are still doing extremely well. What we cover - Why MozCon felt depressing while black-hat conferences felt optimistic - How Google's Helpful Content updates changed who wins and who loses - Why technical SEOs and parasite SEOs are outperforming content-first sites - How forums, Reddit, and Facebook groups are being used to manipulate rankings - Why casino, VPN, and adult niches still dominate traditional search results - How listicles, review sites, and media publishers control AI recommendations - Why Forbes keeps ranking for everything, even after being hit - How AI Overviews and LLMs pull from Google's front page - How easy it is to make a fake brand show up inside ChatGPT and other LLMs - Why Trustpilot, Reddit, and listicles matter more than backlinks right now - How some publishers recover while others stay permanently buried - The HouseFresh case study and why public pressure actually works - How parasite SEO works on newspapers and Google News sites - Why many white-hat SEOs feel stuck while black-hat operators scale - How founders should build brands in an LLM-driven world - Why social, video, and personal brands now beat pure SEO This episode is for anyone who: - Runs a content site - Does affiliate SEO - Builds SaaS or online tools - Depends on Google traffic - Wants to understand how AI is changing search - Feels like rankings and traffic don't make sense anymore ⭐️ Lars Lofgren's website and newsletter: https://larslofgren.com/ ⭐️ Lars Lofgren on LinkedIn (tell him you came from this podcast and he'll accept your connection): https://www.linkedin.com/in/larslofgren/ ⭐️ Lars Lofgren on 𝕏: https://x.com/larslofgren ⭐️ Jacky Chou on 𝕏 - https://x.com/indexsy ⭐️ Jack Chou's website - https://jackychou.com/ ⭐️ Jacky Chou on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@indexsy 💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/ 00:00 White Hat vs. Black Hat SEO: A Tale of Two Conferences 01:15 The Impact of AI and Google's Algorithm on SEO 02:10 Black Hat SEO: Thriving in the Current Landscape 04:43 Forbes and the Content Quality Debate 07:57 The Rise of Technical SEOs in the LLM Era 09:23 Gaming LLMs: New Tactics and Strategies 22:21 The Golden Age of Forum Spam 23:04 The Power of Masterminds and Private Communities 35:29 Reddit Manipulation and the Coding Bootcamp Scandal 41:47 Starting Local: Leveraging Facebook and Reddit 42:55 AI Influencers and Monetization Strategies 44:09 AI Content and Detection Challenges 44:45 AI in SEO: Misconceptions and Strategies 47:36 Google Algorithm Shifts and SEO Tactics 49:12 Niche Sites and Content Strategies 01:00:46 Trustpilot Reviews and Black Hat Tactics 01:07:12 Social Media Strategies for SEO and Branding 01:19:53 Concluding Thoughts and Final Tips The Edward Show. Your daily search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/ #blackhatseo #searchengineoptimization #linkbuilding #growthhacking